In their words

Some 1992-93 Suns remember what it was like to join the Suns:

Danny Ainge: I was really excited to join that team. That was an amazing opportunity with a new arena, new uniforms, whole new team with Charles added to a base of guys already there — KJ, Majerle, West. I don’t think any of us expected Oliver to be as good as he was. Pretty good nucleus that they had. I just remember being really, really excited. I remember I committed to Jerry the minute he called 12:01 a.m. on July 1. When they traded Hornacek for Barkley, Phoenix became the most exciting place to be.

Charles Barkley: I felt really good about it. I knew I had played my last game in Philly. I had told them I was never going to play there again, and I didn’t care where I went. I was glad I went to Phoenix. There was a bunch of teams in play. They put me on the cover of The Sporting News, and I had on 10 different uniforms (Phoenix was one). I was excited to get the phone call.

Tom Chambers: They came with open arms when I was a free agent and made an offer. I had a relationship with Paul Westphal after working his camp. I had heard good things about Jerry Colangelo and always liked Cotton Fitzsimmons. I was worried the Sonics would trade me to a city I didn’t want, so I took it. The reason I was the first unrestrcited free agent was because Jerry gave me 15 minutes to decide on the offer, and I looked in his eye and knew he meant it.

Tim Kempton: They drafted Oliver Miller and he was being a goofball holding for more money and they signed me for two years guaranteed. Then he signed so became a walking insurance policy. . It was a crowded front court. When you’re young and getting two years, you think you’ll at least get an opportunity.

Dan Majerle: I was surprised that Phoenix drafted me because Milwaukee was 13, and they’d told me they’d take me and they took Jeff Grayer. I hadn’t worked out for Phoenix. I was surprised but excited. I talked to Al McCoy and they said they were booing but that didn’t bother me because I knew I was going to be on the Olympic team and people would be able to see me play.

Cedric Ceballos: I had mixed emotions because the late Marty Blake said I was going to be drafted in the lottery. The day I was flying to New York, he said to stay home. The Lakers said they were definitely taking me. When that didn’t happen, I was distraught. When I got picked 48th, they picked me during a commercial break. Everyone was happy but I felt like I had a lot of work to do to make the league if I was picked 48th. I didn’t know anything about Phoenix, but my mom was a Suns fan because she liked Walter Davis. I came to Phoenix with no expectations. I was just going to learn as much as I could before I got cut. Every time we played, I made sure to say hello to people like Scottie Pippen.

Kevin Johnson: While I was learning in Cleveland my rookie year behind Mark Price, I wanted to play more and so I was excited about the trade. The Cavs’ director of player personnel was Cotton Fitszimmons’ son, Gary, who sold his dad on my potential. Cotton was very influential within the organization, and I had a good feeling I would be playing considerably more. I was also aware of a major drug scandal affecting the Suns prior to my arrival and knew they wanted to clean house. It was a great opportunity to set a new tone in Phoenix and the rest, as they say, is history.

Oliver Miller: I was watching the draft and the reaction of the fans and how they booed me. It was hard, but I was used to it from playing for Arkansas in college and everyone not liking us there. I guess I grew on them. How can you not like this smile?

Mark West: We had just turned around the situation in Cleveland. We’d grown from being not very good to a team that could contend. Coming here in the trade, they had all the issues. It was like, “Oh, man, we have to start all over again. But if they want me, I don’t mind being there.” Kevin (Johnson) was the one saying, “It’s going to be all right. We’re going to get this thing turned around.” He was ecstatic.

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